In its 222 year history, Christian County has been known for a variety of things. Many know it as the location of Ft. Campbell, an Army post which is home to the 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles. Others know it as a leading agricultural region – both in the state and the country. And most recently, millions came to “know” Christian County and Hopkinsville as the epicenter of the 2017 solar eclipse. But, there is something in Christian County which most don’t know about – the issue of hunger.
Christian County is one of the 42 counties served by our organization. According to a Feeding America study, approximately 1 in 5 people living in Christian County (18.4%) are food-insecure. This means while they might not be going completely without food, they don’t always know when or where that food will come from. What is even more alarming is the fact that roughly 1 in every 5 households we serve has at least one service member. To help alleviate this uncertainty, we partner with local agencies to provide several programs in Hopkinsville, and other parts of the county, to offer a reliable, consistent source of food for these individuals and their families.
We currently 12 have partner agencies within the county:
Aaron McNeil House
Boys & Girls Club
Christ Temple Apostolic Church
Concerned Tenants Organization
Faithful Servant Outreach Ministry
Hopkinsville YMCA
Impact Ministry
Micah Mission Center
Pennyroyal Veterans Center
Redeemed and Restored
Salvation Army
St. Luke Free Clinic
Through these partnerships, we are not only able to help individuals and families fill their pantries and tables with various food items, but we also have specific programs to support those in the community who are more vulnerable.
Each month nearly 350 seniors in Christian County receive additional assistance through the CSFP Program. This government commodities program helps support those who are 60 and older and struggle to meet all of their own needs, usually because of a limited income. In addition, the BackPack Program provides weekend food to almost 200 students, with many more set to be served next school year. These children often rely on the school meals they receive during the week as a main source of nourishment and the BackPack bags to supplement their meals on the weekend.
We are incredibly grateful for our partner agencies in Christian County and all they do to fight hunger in their community. But there is still a lot to be done. Together, we can work to fight hunger and ensure everyone has the quality of life they deserve.
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